The Crisis/Issue of National

Integration
Irfan Waheed Usmani
 Outline
• Introduction
• Conceptualizing /Defining National integration
• Examples of Approaches and Models to achieve national
integration
• The Successes and Failures of national integration: examples
• The reasons behind the failure of national integration in
Pakistan
• The Crisis of National Integration: Its Manifestations
• Efforts to Foster National Integration
• The Inadequacies of the Measures
• Suggestions to foster national integration
 (1)Introduction
• Overarching theme: Pakistan has been faced with the crisis of National
Integration since the very outset. This was mainly because of the fact that
the creation of state preceded the formation of the nation.
• The pressing nature of initial difficulties compelled the governments to
prefer state-building over nation-building.
• In addition to these ruling elite continued to prescribe top-bottom
solutions[upper say nafiz karda wifiquiat], which left no space for bottom-
up approach to nation-building. Their sticking to/ insistence upon these
solutions further exacerbated the dilemma of national integration.
• One can cite several examples which highlight obvious failure of efforts of
national integration these range from the Separation of the East Pakistan to
ongoing Baluchistan Crisis.
• Still the crisis looms a perpetual threat for the survival of the state./The
crisis presets a perpetual threat for the survival of the state.
 Main Argument
• Pakistan has been faced with the crisis of National Integration
since the very outset [claim+warrant] It has obvious
manifestations……….[ evidence].Despite the lofty claims of the
ruling elite the issue has not been addressed on long term
basis.[claim+acknowledgement and response] Mainly because
of the fact that they have continued to prescribe top-bottom
solutions which left no space for other alternative imaginations
for nation-building. [reason] Still the crisis threatens the very
social fabric of the state and society. It would continue to loom
as a threat to the very existence of the federation of Pakistan if
it is not addressed in entirety/ holistically. [acknowledgement
and response]/ suspended judgement….
 (2)What is National Integration (I)
General concept
The national integration takes place or occurs when the
processes of state and nation building coincide or complement
each other.
Or at least the process of state-building does not suppress or
overshadow the process of nation-building.
The successful national integration necessitates the
development of pluralistic ethos(system of values/ nizam e
iqdar/ weltanschauung) .
What is pluralism? “ siyasat mein kasrat pasandi ka falsafa”… It
enshrines the concept/ idea of “unity in diversity” ….
Moonis Ahmer
“ National integration cannot be artificially created but it
evolves as a result of a process of social and economic justice.
Along with democratic political pluralism. Cultural, lingual and
regional variations exist in many countries of the world but it
is wise and prudent leadership which provides a sense of
participation, opportunities for progress and development”.
Moonis Ahmar, “The Challenges of National Integration” Dawn
Special edition, 23 March 2019
Things to remember: (I) it cannot be created artificially;(II) How
does it evolve?(III) sustaining factors
 What is National Integration (II)
• “National integration is the awareness of a common identity amongst the
citizens of a country. It means that though the individuals belong to different
communities, castes, religions, cultures and regions and speak different languages,
all of them recognize the fact that they are one”. ( yak jehiti ka jazba aur hum
aahangi ka Ehsas un mein paya jata hey ya mojzan hota hey )
 What is National Integration (III):
• “Inclusive model of nation-building”, Diverse ethnic
groups attach them/ integrate into the body politic
of the nation while retaining their distinct
identities. (Enshrines the spirit unity-in- diversity).
• The model is altogether different from unitary
model (in Pakistan’s case we preferred to pursue
unitary model: Islam and Urdu) or approach to
federalism.
 Things to remember(I)
national successful national Inclusive model of National
integration takes integration nation-building. integration is the
place or occurs necessitates the Diverse ethnic awareness of a
when the development of groups attach common identity
processes of state pluralistic them/ integrate amongst the
and nation building ethos(system of into the body citizens of a
coincide or values/ nizam e politic of the nation country.
complement each iqdar/ while retaining
other. Or at least weltanschauung) their distinct
the process of identities.
state-building does
not suppress or
overshadow the
process of nation-
building…
development of
pluralistic ethos
 Things to remember (II)Crux
• “Subaii ekaiyoun ko wifaq key sath jurney ka
jazba ya Ehsas national integration kehalatay
hey”.
• “The sense of belonging of the regional or
local entities to national entity is called
national integration.
 (3)Examples of Approaches and Models to achieve
national integration(you may add other models as well)
American Federation Socialistic Vision Capitalist vision
Shahid Javed Burki: It takes ethnicities as Economic development
bottom-up federalism conspirational growth of under capitalism and its
1776—1789: loose bourgeoisie. trickle-down effect.
ferderatin/ confederal The socialist ideology
system based on class can
1789:they decided that we weed them out.
need strong center.
(bottom-up-federalism)
(4)The success and failures of national integration: Examples

Successes Failures
United State of America: melting pot of Rwanda
nations
Switzerland: 5/ 3 nationalities but they Separation of east Pakistan
call themselves one nation;
Scandinavian Countries : Sweden; Collapse of Soviet Union
Denmark; Norway ( provide best model of
welfare states)
Great Britain : development of capitalism Civil war in former Yugoslavia after the
helped them/ led it/her to achieve death of Tito
national integration…
The crisis of federalism in the other Third
world countries.
 (5)The reasons behind the failure of national
integration in Pakistan

• (I)The crisis of Federalism

• (II)Overdeveloped state structure( resulted in to stste-
building)
• (III) The absence of pluralistic traditions
• (IV) Unplanned migration and politicization of ethnicity
• (V) The lack of provincial and financial autonomy in the
constitutions
• (VI) Political and economic experiences of provinces
/federations did not foster their belief in federalism.
• (VII) Non-democratic centralization and exclusion ..
 (I)The crisis of Federalism

• Thesis statement: how the crisis of federalism has

remained the biggest threat to federation?
• Manifestations: 5 military operations in Baluchistan;
the separation of east Pakistan; Sindudesh
movement in Sindh; the politicization of Muhajir
ethnicity; the rise of PTM; the deteriorating law and
order situation in Baluchistan
• Why the crisis could not be resolved on long-term
basis?: because we went for piece-meal/ myopic/
short term solitons
 (II)Overdeveloped State Structure
• Hamza Alavi
• It refers to the phenomenon when
administrative arm of the state develops
against the state or parallel to the state
instead of being subservient to the state.
• Consequences: we had to prioritize state-
building over nation-building
The Diagrammatic Representation of the
Over-developed State Structure
The Over-Developed StateStructure:Diagrammmatic Representation
What Napoleon used to say about Prussia?

Army has/had a state not state had army. (woh

fauj ki rissat hoti hey riasat key fauj nahi tehti)
 (III) The absence of Pluralistic traditions

• Differentiate between democratic pluralism

and cultural pluralism.
(IV) Unplanned migration and politicization of ethnicity

• Examples : three examples: (I) migration of

Urdu speaking to Sindh and its impact on
demography of urban areas; (II) the influx of
3.5 million refugeess to NWFP and
Baluchistan; (III) the migration which is going
to take place in Balichistan in CPEC and post-
Cpec eras
• Fall outs : politicization of various ethnicities
• Copy the slide from the previous question
 (V) The lack of Provincial and Financial
autonomy in the constitutions
• Same as we discussed earlier…
 4Unplanned Migration: Historical
Instances(SI)
• Main contention Unplanned Migration : it heightened sense of
marginalization; and Politicization of Ethnicity. (when ethnicity assumes
secessionist hues)
• (I)Historical Instances : (i) the settlement of Urdu-speaking migrants in the
urban areas of Sindh( facts and figures) : consequences ( Sindhi-Mujhir
conflict; (II) the influx of 3.5 million Afghan refugees in the first Afghan war
(intensified Bloch-Pushtun divide); (III) the apprehensions surrounding
unplanned migration in CPEC and post –CPEC era the apprehensions of Bloch
• (II) Political fallouts: politicization of Mohajir; Baloch; Sindhi,and; Pushtun
ethnicities; political differences
• (III) Economic fall outs: (a)Tussle over control of resourcesꟷexamples;
Example of city of Karachi ( 5 ethnicities are competing for the control of
resources of the city)
• (b)Competition in job market.
 (VI)Political and economic experiences of
provinces … in the federation
• The Political and Economic experiences of
Provinces did not strengthen confidence in
Federalism.(Hasan Askari Rizvi);
• what should be the aim/ objective of the
federal system? “It must create a sense of
confidence and trust among the constituent
elements. Pakistan's track record has been
generally poor”.
• See examples on the next slide:
()The Political and Economic experiences of
the Provinces(SII)

Dismissals of One –Unit: Military Suppression The capitalist Their overall

governments: 1955—1970 Operations of Ethno- model of consequences
nationalist development
movements that Ayub
regime folloed
against east It was based
Pakistan; in on doctrine of
Baluchistan; in functional
Sindh inequality.
 Unplanned Migration: Historical
Instances(sII)

1947 Sindh 1979 : Afghan Crisis CPEC and Post-CPEC era

Demographic shift : 2017: 260,000.
Local Sindhis were reduced to 3.5 million Afghan refugees Post-CPEC era:
the status of minorities.. moved to Pakistan
Politicization of Sindhi and Their settlement: Baluchistan
Muhajir Ethnicities till the early and NWFP.
1970’s Impact:
The establishment of MQM It created sharp divide between
The eruption and escalation of Pustuns and Baloch
ethnic conflict in Sindh Quetta;Pashin,and;Loralai
 7Non-democratic centralization and its impact on Ethnicities(Katharine Adeney)

• Non-democratic centralization and its impact

on Ethnicities (politicization of ethnicity)…they
assumed secessionist hues…
*The exclusions of Bengalis,Sindhis and Baloch
…
The structure of non-democratic institutions of
state, and their composition remain important,
whether or not state is democratic. ( Kathrine
Adeney)
 Its Manifestations

• Politicization of Ethnicity and the rise of

secessionist movements :
• The Separation of East Pakistan :
• Terrorism and Political Instability :
• The involvement of the Neighboring countries
 Efforts to foster national integration..
• The Establishment of the One-Unit…
• Military Operations

• 1973 Constitution
• Islam and Urdu as Unifying Doughs to Strengthen Federalism
• Reforms:(I) NRB; (II) Aghaz-e thufuz-e Hoqooq e Baluchistan;
(III) re-naming of NWFP to Khybber Pakthunkhawa
• The Constitutional Amendments and Safeguards:
Eighteenth and Twenty-fifth amendments
• 7th NFC Award:
 The Inadequacies of the measures or
solutions
• Non-democratic centralization : often these measures were
accompanied by non-democratic centralization;
• Unitary nation building model: Isalm and Urdu …
• Top-down solutions
• Myopic Thinking: short term solutions..
• The whims of Military bureaucratic elite
The vested interests of ruling elite: strong center; denial of
provincial autonomy;
• Punctuated Democracy
• Absence of will and vision:
• Dr Tahir Kamran’s analysis
 Dr Tahir Kamran’s analysis
• “Historically the paths/trajectories of resistance to colonial
governance were different. The nationalist elements/forces
of different hues were dominant in the settled areas of
NWFP and Baluchistan, whereas in Punjab and Sindh
Feudal lords were dominant. What happened after partition
the narrative remained same but the loyalties became
different. The popularity of Muslim League waned/soared
as it could not mobilize people around the discourse of
salariat. Therefore, it had to re-invent itself and in this
process, it had to depend upon Bureaucracy that provided
space for Military and clergy”. (Tahir Kamran).
 Suggestions
• The Holistic Vision:
• Put an end to undemocratic centralization….
• Pluralistic Solutions
• By dismantling the Overdeveloped State Structure
• Creation of the New Provinces
• Periodic Revisions in the 1973 Constitution
• The Uninterrupted continuation of the democratic
process to allow the political leadership to emerge.
• Consociational Democracy
 Summing UP
• Why the crisis occurred? Why the situation
came to pass?
• What went wrong?: the solutions we
proposed to resolve the crisis and their
limitations/ inadequacies
• How to overcome the crisis?